Traction-engine.



. PATBNTBD DEG.17, 1901.

3. 30m. TRACTION ENGINE. APPLIUATIOR II LBD THE. 9, 1907.

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[K V l-NTUR A TTURNE Y WITNESSES:

WITNESSES:

PATENTBD nnc. 17,1901. B. HOLT.

TRACTION ENGINE. unwumx FILED ran. a. 1907,

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v lrlrifizal PATBNTED D20. 17, 190 B. HOLT. "rumor: ENGIHB. LFPZJQLTIO! FILED FEB. 9, 1907.

! BEEBTB-SEEEI 6- PATENTED DEC. 17, 190

A B. HOLT. "IRM- T N ENGINE.

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A TTORNE Y UNITED s'r BENJAMIN HOLT, OF STOCKTON, CALIF-0331A.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

To all whom it 1' concern:

' Be it known that I, BENJAHIN Home, citizen of the, United States, residing at Stockton, in the cormty of San J oaquin and '6 State of'Californ ia,"have invented iew'and useful Improvements in Traction-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in vehicles, ancl'especially of the traction engine class and. includes endlesstraveling platform supports upon which the engine is carried.

It consists in acombination -of arts, and

in details of construction which W1 l he more fully. explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 1s a side elevation of my apps.-

. ratus. Fig. 2 is-a plan. Fig. 3 is a 'e:=spec' tive view of parts of the sprocket w eel and chain. Fig. 43s a view of a sleeve 10. Fig.

5 is a view'of a connecting bolt. Fig. .6 is a transverse section of link connections. Figs.

7, 8 and 9 are transverse sections of bearingwheels on rollers and sup orts. Fi 10,

-11, 12, 13, 14 are enlar e views 0 chain hnks and-connections.

diagrammatic views showing contact position' of chains, with the wheel eripheries.

Fig. 17 is a transverse section s owing two bearers upon one shoe. Fig. 18 isa per ipective view of side plates andrivet pins. ig. 19 shows the wheels overlapping the chain-bearing wheels.-

his the object ,of my invention to rovide such improvements in that class' 0 vehicles known as traction engines as will enable the engine to transmit its power so as to most efliciently'p'ropel it over the surface upon which it travels; and in the construc- 40 tron of endless traveling belts upon which the weight of the machine is supported, and throu l: which power is transmitted to prope it.

I have herein shown my invention as especially ap lied to a traction engine, the frame A of w liich is here shown as made of transversely disposed chalmel, angle, or like hers. Upon this frame is mounted a suitable motor B from which power is transmit- EO'ted through intermediate gearing C to revolve the sprocket-wheels 2. At the opposite end of the frame and upon each side thereof are similar wheels 3. Between these sprocket-wheels extend the endless traveli I belts which I have termed platforms,

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 9.1997. Serial Ho. 856,548..

igs. 15 and 16 are lEatented Dec. 17, 1907.

'and which serve to support. the weight of the machine u on any surfac" over which it may be calle to travel. These platforms are composed of links overla ping and p 1voted together, and having sue a length with 60 relation to the distance between the sprocketwheels and the number of teeth upon the wheels that their connecting bolts may engage the teeth of the sprocket-wheels in such a mamer as to he propelled and carried 55 thereby.

In certain classes of machines where unusual weight is to be carried there may be two'line's of sprocket-wheels for each platform,and two lines of links forming endless chains to pass around these sprockets, Fig. 17. Transverse shoes 5 are secured. to these chain links, and provide a sufilciently broad support to prevent the apparatus carried thereon from s' into the ground or stalled; "here the machines are jof smaller and lighter construction, a single line of sprockets with a single line of chain may be employed; the links eing constructed in a similar manner in each case.

Bearings 11 on each side of the machine are rovided by longitudinal plates 6 extending etween the transverse beams of the frame, carrying upon their ends the j ournal-boxes of WI ULLI) the sprocket-wheels 2 and 3, and carrying near their lower edges the supports for flanged wheels 7 which travel u on the inner edges or surface of the chain linli pass between the eripheries of the sprocketwheels. Or the .anged wheels may revolve on pins or gudgeons secured to or assin throughthese plates. A convenient i orm 0 this arrangement is a gudgeon flattened on one end. a, and having on the other end a round head I) with a hole on its upper edge to $5 I receive lubricant which thence runs along a groove upon the upper side of the gudgeon 2G. gudgeon passes through a round hole in one plate (6) and its flattened end projects through a correspondingly-shaped 10v ole in the other late. It is thus prevented from turning. {bolt 0 passes through the gudgeon, (the-metal around the above mentioned oil holealso serving to preve t the bolt head from turning) and throu h a washer d shaped to receive the flattens end of the gudgeon. This arrangement secures the gudgeon in'thc plates and at the same time prevents any undue ressure of the plates upon the ends of t 'c hubs of the s where they flanged wheels. These bearers 6 may be formed of angle andplain plates riveted toether, orthey may be built up in other ways;

ut the disposition of the bearing-wheels 7 is preferably'such that a line drawn through the axles or the lower peripheries of these wheels, will be in the form of a curve presenting its convexity downward, so that by reason of this curve, the bearing of the machine will be, such as to render the turning of the machine from one side to the other more easily effected, than if this lower bearing surface was straight.

It will be understood that the tion of the machine will be supportedou on one or more steering-wheels' l of the 61.35- acter well known in the construction-of this class of apparatus, and as there are two of these bearing platforms, one upon each side of the machine, a differential or clutch mechanism 22 of any suitable character may be connected with the gearing C, so that the power of the engine or motor maybe trans mitted to either of the driving sides ofthe a: in A A a A L- lmks l e-1% so iormed that the ends uftne male links are narrower than the contiguous ends of the female links and pass between the ends of the female links. Both sides of theselinks may be formed of two plates, an inner and anouter plate; theinner plates of, the male link being sufliciently longer than the outer plates, to-pass between the longer. outside plates of the female links and the shorter inside plates of the female links are substantially in line with the longer plates of the male links and the corresponding longer plates of the female links are in line with the shorter outside lates of the male links thus forming a double structure for the linkson each side of the chain and wide bearing for the wheels 7.. The overlapping ends of these links may be united together by connections 10, these connections consisting of an outside sleeve 10 and bolt 10 which is adapted to pass through the sleeve '1 The sleeves fit between the inner sides of the female links at their point of connection and are flattened out at each end as'shown at 11, the flattened portions extending through correspondingly shaped holes in the ends of the male llnksand are thus locked and prevented from turning with relation to the male link. The bolts 10 pass through holes in the end of the female link and through the sleeve. Under the head of the bolt is a 65 square shoulder 10 which fits in a correfront por.

apparatus, thus greatly assisting in turning spolldligily shaped-hole in the end of the female li and prevents the bolt from turning with relation to the female link. These bolts turn in the sleeves. They'are entirely p'ro tected-from grit and dirt, and have passa es or channels asshown at 12, through whic a lubricant may be'injected at roper times to make tl ebolts'turn easily wit 'n the sleeves thus the turning movement in passin around the sprockets iseasily made. and wit very little fr1ction.-

The inner and outer lates forming the sirahle.

In some cases and for heavy machinery, or for veryjsoft ground 'I may introduce supplemental shoesjlfif whichare bolted'through and secured to and: by the plates 15; these plates 15 having the ends extending a considerable distance outside the plates 15,

These shoes 01 plates may be curved tra sversely as shown, and have upturned flan 16 which serve. to increase the traction in case the. ground is slippery; the upturned,

edes of these plates entering the ground su -ciently to prevent slipping or skiddin Instead of be ng fastened at the pivot wit abolt as described, I may use a round pin with squared ends, the round part being in the sleeve and the end of the male link and the squared ends occnpy' correspondingly shaped holes inthe end 0 the female link.

In that case a bolt 23 through thecenter of the link would hold the, two sides from falling apart. g

' Instead of bein mate of two plates riveted together and aving the ends connected with a separate sleeve, each side of the link may be cast or forged 1n-one solid iece. Each side of the male-may have ha the sleeve cast solid with it, or the two sides of the male and the sleeves may all be cast in one solid piece. Insteadof-separate male and female links, ahei'maplhrodite may be made of any of the efore mentioned kinds, one end be ng male and the other end female as shown at Figs. 1214. Sucha link is necessary where an odd number of links is used.

The bearing-wheels 7 are made either as solidwheels or wheels havingflanges upon only one side, Fig. 8. Where the wheels have only oneflange, thus traveling with the flanges upon one side of the sufpplort, they may be'journaled intermediate 0 't ose travelmg upon the opposite side. This makes 130 front s rocket, t 1e intermediate portion of a 1. In a traction engine, a main frame, pare74,oos a the wheels overlap and makes the distance i between consecutive hearings on the chain shorter. v e

In order to make wide bearing-plates 15, the links of the chain are of unusual length as compared with their other dimensions. In order to prevent a lost motion when reversing, it is desirable to increase the number of sprocket-teeth with relation to the distance between the bolts by which the links are united. Thus, two or more of the teeth of the sprocket will pass betweeneach of the bolts uniting links, and what may be called the regular teeth will engage the pivot bolts or ins of the chain on the forward .motion, an the extra teeth will be in position to engage with the pivot bolts'at the other end. of the link, so that there will be no material slippage of the chain in case the movement is reversed. In designin one of. these sprockets, the pitch circle with relation to the pitch of the chain is that of a sprocket the number of whose teeth is a mixed number of which the fractional part is one-half. In such av sprocket all the teeth are used both onthe forward and on the reverse; but any particular tooth is only used once in every two revolutions of the sprocket, thusdoubling the life of the sprockets by correspondingly reducing the wear.

hen endless latforrn chains are made with the chain lin s so disposed with relation to the s rocket-wheels that the meeting ends of the inks and the central portions alternately ride over the s rockets, at the same time, these chains wil in passing over the upper part of their travel, vibrate or flop with considerable violence; and the lon er the links the reater the violence. In or( or to overcome t is tendency, the distances are so pro ortioned that while the joint of one air 0 links is assing over-the top of the link wi 1 be passing over the top of the other s rocket. In order to accom lish this, the istance between the centers 0 the sprocketwheels must equal the distance between the centers ofthe pivots of a link multiplied by some mixed number, the fractional part of which is one-half. When I use the sprocketwheels with a plurality of teeth as mentioned above, and "the total number of teeth in one sprocket is an odd number, Imake one sprocket larger than the other by the amount of two teeth; I am then able to place them the proper distance apart to prevent the flopping oft-he chain. n Fig. 19 the roll rs 7 are separated to overlap and shorten their distance from the chain wheels and reduce chain vibration.

Having thusdescribed myinvention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 19- allel supplemental frames. with rollers mounted between and contiguous to the lower ed -os Of S&i(l frames, sprocket-wheels journal ed in line between the supplemental frames, a motor carried upon the main frame, and means for transmitting motion there'- from to the sprocket-wheels, chains passing around the sprocket-wheels, said chains formed of links having flan ed inner ed es upon which the bearing-r0 ers rest, in ependent platform shoes, and means uniting them to the chain links to form integral endless platforms driven by the s rockets.

2. A traction engine inc uding a main frame, a motor mounted thereon, parallel supplemental side frames sprocket-wheels journaled in pairs upon each side between said frames, endless jointed platforms passin around the s rocket-wheels upon each side of the mac 'ne, a turnable steering mechanism by which the front of the frame is supported and guided, gearing through which motion is transmitted from the motor to revolve the s rocket-wheels, mechanism whereby one of t. e traveling platforms may be driven independently of the other, and in unison with the turningof the steering apparatus, and means substantially as described to lubricate the platform link joints.

3. In a traction engine, a main frame hav mg a motor mounted thereon, supplemental side frames sprocket-wheels disposed in pairs upon each side of and between the frame, endless jointed platforms passing around said sprockets to support the main portion of the apparatus, a turnable steering mechanism by which the front portion is supported, gearing through which motion may be transmitted from the motor to drive the traveling platforms either separatel or in unison, rollers journaled upon the ower part of the main frame with their peripheries travelin upon the inner surface of t e chain links 0 the platform as the latter are advanced, and means to prevent lost motion in forward or reverse movements.

4 In a traction. engine, a main frame, a motor carried thereon, a steering mechanism connected with the front part of the frame, sprocket-wheels disposed in pairs upon 0 posite sides of the frame, anendless plat orm passing around the sprockets upon each side,

saidplatform being composed of links piv-' oted together, and shoes fixed transversely to eachof the link members, said shoes having transverse projections u on their bearrivet bolts to ing surfaces, and combine unite the link elements and the exterior plat- 1 .form shoes. 5. In a traction engine, a main frame with front steering apparatus, sprocket-wheels journaled upon the sides of the rear ortion of the frame, a motor and gearing w ereby the sprocket-wheels may be revolved, an endless traveling platform, said platform ing composed of chain links with hearing mounted in the lower lpart of'the main frame and adapted to trave upon the inner edges of the compound links.

6. In a traction engine, a main frame having sprocket wheels journaled upon each side at a distance from each other, an endless jointed traveling platform passing around each of the pairs of sprockets, and consisting of chain links overlappin and pivoted at their junctions, said links avmg transverse extensions forming a wide inner surface, wheels or rollers mounted on the lower part of the frame adapted to travel upon said inner surfaces of the links, platforms bolted to the outer surfaces of the links, a motor carried u on the main frame and mechanism in= terme 'ate between the meter and the sprocket-wheels whereby the latter are rotated.

7. In a traction engine, a main frame, sprocket-wheels journaled at -a d1stance apart upon each side thereof, cha ns comosed of male and female links having overlapping ends and connecting pivot pins, said links having flanges or extensions upon theirinner edges, a bearin formed of wheelsor rollers mounted in he lower part of the frame and adapted t'o-travel upon the inner edges of-the chain links, rivets by which the sections of each link are secured, together, said rivets having threaded belts extending outwardly, and shoes or treads carried by;

each of the links, fitting the ends of the rivet bolts and secured thereto.

8. In endless platforms for traction ongines, chain links consisting cf male and female overlapping members pivoted together, said links having plates alternately on their opposite sides, and in line respectivelyw th the main link sections, means for securing 'said link plates together, said means consistrivets, and treads or plat ing of rivets having bolts projecting outwardly substantially at ri ht angles with the form surfaces fixed transversely of-each pair of link members, said platforms. being secured 'to the pro ecting ends of the rivet bolts. I

9. In an. endless flexible platform support and propeller for traction engines, male and female link sections flexibly connected at the ends, with the alternate inner and outer portions overlapping to form broad track surfaces, disconnected platform sections se curedto the outer surfaces of the links, and flanged rollers mounted upon the engine frame, supported and turnable upon the innor track surfaces of the links.

10. In an endless, flexible, traveling, platform support and propeller for traction engines, links flexibly jointed at their meeting ends, disconnected platform sections fixed to the outer ed es of the links, broad track surfaces formed upon the inner link edges substantially in line, revoluble sprocket-wheels aroundwhich the platforms travel, an engine and supplemental frame upon which said sprockets are journaled, said frame having downwardly extending plates, and flanged rollers mounted contiguous to the lower edges of the plates and supported and revoluble upon the inner link edges.

11. In an endless, flexible,-traveling platform support for traction engines, an engine frame, sprocket-wheels mounted upon each side of the frame, around and by which'the platforms are propelled, supplemental frame sections extending downward between the sprockets, wheels turnable between the said sections, and links connecting the platform sections, andhaving their inner edges formmg tracks upon which the wheels are revolnbler 12. In an endless, flexible, travelin platform support for traction engines, pivoted links carrying platform sections, an en e frame, with sprocket Wheels upon each side, around and by which sprockets the platforms are propelled, supplemental frame plates vertically on edge extending between the sprocket-wheels and having journalboxes at their outer ends, in which the sprocket-wheel shafts are turnable, flanged wheels -supported between the lower edges of said plates with their peripheries adapted to travel, upon the inner edges of the platform carryi g links.

13. In an endless, flexible traveling plat form-support for traction engines, a main engme frame, supplemental frames parallel with the outer si es of the main frames, and

wheels mounted near the lower edges of the supplemental frames adapted to travel upon the inner edges of the chain links, s rocket- -wheels' located between the supp emental frames, and 'ournal-boxes at the ends of the supplementa frames within which boxes the ogfer ends of the sprocket shafts are turna e.

14. In an endless flexible traveling platform support for traction engines, a main engine frame, supplemental side frames be tween which the latform-carr gsprocketwheels are journa ed, said side ffil mes formed of angle or channel iron secured to the main frames, and downwardly extendi plates fixed to the angle )lates and carrying su port-boxes for whee s which travel'upon t e. platforms.

15. In an endless, flexible, traveling platform support and propeller for traction engines, sprocket-wheels journaled upon each side of t e machine, chain links to which the platform sections aresecured, said links havmg such length between their pivot centers thatthe pivot joints of two links engage a tooth at the top of one sprocket, and the central part of a link will register with the top of the followin sprocket.

16.-- 'An endless exible travding platform support for traction engines,.in which the distance between snrocket centers canal to the whole number of links and a half alink in a corresponding length of -.platform 0n the pitch line of the sprockets.

17. In an endless flexible traveling plat form support, sprockets over which the platform is extended, said sprockets having a distance between centers equal to the num-- ber of links in a corresponding length of latform sections, and one of the sprockets aviug two teeth less than the other. 1 8. In an endless flexible, traveling platform support, means to prevent vibration o'f-the unsupported platform sections, said means consisting of pointed of such length that only a who-e number of links and one-half a link will coincide with the distance between sprocket centers.

19. in an endless, flexible platform-support, 0 11 links pivoted at their junctions, toothecl s rockets over which the "links travel, sai s rockets having a plurality of teeth for eac link's'pace with which they engage. v p

20. In an endless flexible platform support, means to preventlost motion in reversmg, said means consisting of pivoted links with open spaces between their pivot centers, sprockets over which the hnks pass, said sprockets havin a plurality of teeth registering with each hnk space, one of which teeth engages in advance movement and the other in reverse. I l

21. In an endless flexible platform support, open ivoted links united to form a chain, sproc ets having an odd number of teeth so spaced that two teeth will enter each link space and each tooth is engaged to operate only once in two revolutions of the sprocket.

22'. An endless flexible traveling platform support for traction engines in which the dista'nce betweenthe sprocket centers equals the distance between the pivots of one link multiplied b a miired number the fractional part of whic is one-half.

'23. In an endless flexible traveling latform support, means to overcome the v1 rations of the platform or chain between the sprockets over which it glasses, said means including sprockets of 'ii'erent diameters having two teeth for each link space, and the total number of teeth in either sprocket, an odd number.

24. An endless traveling platform belt support for traction engines, said belt constructed of alternate male and female overlapfinu sections and connections including pins ed with relation to the female sections, and

port for traction engines, said support con- 76 sisting of overlapping male and female platform-carrng sections, sle eves extending and fixed between the ends of the male sections, pins turnable within the sleeves and male sections, and fixed in the female .sec-

tions.

26. In an endless travelingplatform support for traction engine, chains composed of success ve male and female hnk sections with interposed distance maintaining bosses, and. 80

gudgeons and pivot uniting pins.

27. In an endless travelingplatform su port for traction engines, s rocket-whee 8 around and by which the pliitform chains are carried, flanged wheels mounted upon each side of the main frame and traveling on the edges of the chains, fixed gudgeons, bolts extending through the gudgeons, oil holesat the outer ends and longitudinal channels with which they connect within the gud-.

geons. Y

28. In an endless traveling platform support for traction engines, flanged bearingwheels mounted on the mam frame and travcling uplon the edges of the platform chains,

said w eels being sta gered to travel in different planes and a ternately upon the outer and inner edges of the chains.

j 29. In an endless traveling platform support for traction engines, a plurality of parallel endless chains to which each platform section is secured, flanged wheels mounted upon the engine frame to register with and travel u on' the chains, and sprocket-wheels by which 30. In an endless traveling platform support for traction engines plat Orin-carrying chains composed of male links with sleeves or gudgeous extending inwardly, pins turnably fitting the gudgeons and male links, female -links between the ends of the male links pivot and in which the pins are non-turn- 31. In an endless flexible platform support, open pivoted links united. to form a chain, sproc ets having teeth so spaced that a plurahty of teeth will enter each link space and each tooth is engaged to operate only fence in the number of revolutions of the sprocket which equals the number of teeth in 129 each link space. p

32. In an endless flexible traveling platform sup ort, means to overcome the vibration of t 2 platform or chain betweenthc sprockets over which it asses, said meansincluding s rockets of ifierent diameters having a p urality of teeth for each link space, and the total number of teeth in eithersprocket such a number and so spaced that, each toothis engaged to operate" only once in .7

the chains are carried. 10b

eta-4.1: whuyaiswannuzcv;

the niimher of revolutions of the sprocket -which equals the number of teeth in each link space, i p 33. In an apparatus of the character described, a main motor bearing frame, supple- Inental side frames, having rollers jonrnaled in the lower part, sprocket-Wheels jonrnaled at opposite ends between the frames, endless chams with detachable platform shoes pass- I 10 In around the sprockets and beneath the re ers, and means for transmitting power from the motor to the sprockets.

34. In an apparatus of the character-de-' 20 gether with flanges projecting transversely from the inner edges to form bearingsurfaces for the rollers, and independent trans verse platform plates, with means for detachably fixing them to the chain links;

35. In an apparatus of the character described, chain nks formed. of parallel lates having the ends alternately separate and. contracted to overlap, and connecting pivot pins for said ends, said plates having flanges extending outwardly between the overla ping portions, and' forming substantia 'y continuous tracks for bearing-wheels; v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN HOLT. Witnesses: I

' S. H. Norman,

FREDERICK" E. MAYNARD. 

